


Through The Storm

by SwanFloatieKnight



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Being Lost, Boys Kissing, Canon Era, Forehead Kisses, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Huddling For Warmth, Hypothermia, M/M, Naked Cuddling, No Smut, Snow, Snowed In, Winter, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:01:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25128922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwanFloatieKnight/pseuds/SwanFloatieKnight
Summary: Arthur and Merlin are lost in a snow storm looking for shelter.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 171





	Through The Storm

**Author's Note:**

> a very classic hypothermia fic... because there will never be enough, right?

A/N: I posted this fic on Ao3, and on Ao3 alone. If you read this on any other website or platform, please consider that I did not consent to this.

* * *

They had lost the other knights a few hours ago, and, as it became ever clearer now, also their way. Arthur and Merlin were standing somewhere in the middle of the forest, it was getting darker and darker, and the snow that had started falling some time ago was also getting heavier. As much as Arthur hated it to admit: they probably really were lost this time, and there was no way that they would find their way back to Camelot before the next morning.

Merlin was standing behind him, shoulders hunched and arms crossed in front of his chest, and he was shivering hard. Arthur worriedly looked at his friend. He himself was already freezing in his chainmail, and he wore a gambeson and a thick cloak on top of his shirt and woollen undershirt. He did not even want to imagine how utterly cold Merlin must be, who only had the same threadbare shirt and thin brown jacket he always wore. He really needed to get him out of this weather. It was about time that he gave up his futile attempts to find a way back and rather look for a shelter for the night.

“Come, Merlin, let’s see if we can find a place. Somewhere where we might not be snowed in come morning.”

Merlin only nodded and stumbled after Arthur. The lack of reaction had the prince admittedly worried. It was unusual for Merlin to not have a witty retort on his lips. And speaking of lips, Merlin’s had turned into an unhealthy shade of blue.

“Are you sure you are all right, Merlin?” he asked his friend, even more worried by now.

Merlin only nodded. “Le’s… go on.”

So Arthur went on, leading the way, mainly because it was the only alternative. No matter how bad Merlin really was off, they had to find a shelter, and the worse Merlin was, the sooner. It wouldn’t help any of them to stand around in the cold any longer. But Arthur made sure to check on him every few steps, to reassure himself that Merlin was still there, keeping up, stumbling after him through snow that in places even reached up to their hips. It was exhausting, but Arthur kept going. He needed to find a place that was at least sheltered from the wind.

Merlin was getting more lethargic as they went on, the cold seeping into his bones. Soon he was hardly able to keep up anymore, and Arthur took his hand and dragged him along. His friend stumbled and nearly fell a few times, and only that Arthur caught him in time every time kept him on his feet. Arthur was concerned. Merlin didn’t look healthy.

It was sheer luck that they passed the large and ancient willow tree with a hollow trunk at a time when it was still light enough to make out contours, and also that Arthur noticed it in the dwindling light. But he told Merlin to wait until he had freed the entrance of snow so that they could crawl in and also checked if there maybe was an animal hiding that they would disturb.

Luckily, the hollow trunk was empty. Inside the tree it was still freezing, but the lack of wind made it feel a little warmer, and also it was dry and a heap of dead leaves was lying on the ground. Arthur carefully guided Merlin inside. He was barely responsive by now, he wasn’t even shaking anymore. It was good that Arthur had been on enough winter patrols to know that he needed to warm Merlin up as soon as possible, and also how to do this.

“Come here, Merlin. Let’s get you out of those wet clothes.”

He had to help the other man as he struggled with his belt and shirt, his limbs too stiff to wriggle out of the wet fabric. While Merlin then got rid of his soaked trousers, Arthur himself slipped out of his chainmail, gambeson, shirt and trousers. He pulled Merlin, who, too, was only wearing his smallclothes by now, into a tight hug so that they laid chest to chest. Arthur nearly flinched when Merlin’s icy skin touched his. But he resisted the urge to draw back. He needed to get Merlin warm again, after all. So he hugged Merlin even tighter after he spread his warm woollen cloak over both of them.

It was now fully dark outside. Merlin, who was clinging to Arthur, started shivering as Arthur’s body heat slowly seeped into his muscles and bones. It started as light tremors, but soon his whole body was shaking like a leaf, his teeth chattering and his breath hitching from time to time. Arthur carefully stroked his shoulders and upper back.

“Shh, don’t worry, Merlin, you’ll be all right.” He tucked Merlin’s dark head under his chin in an attempt to pull him even closer. A strange warm feeling spread in his belly as Merlin hid his face in the crook of Arthur’s neck. His skin was finally getting warmer, his breaths deeper.

“Hey, Merlin.” Arthur carefully nudged his shoulder.

“Hm?” He felt Merlin’s head move and could only imagine the tired blue eyes sleepily blinking up at him.

“Don’t fall asleep. You might freeze to death.”

“I’m cold, Arthur…”

“See, that’s exactly what I’m talking about.” Carefully, he stroked Merlin’s still damp hair. “Stay close to me, and try to stay awake.”

Arthur would never have admitted it, but lying here with Merlin in the hollow tree trunk, huddled together under one cloak, made him feel all jittery and nervous. He cared for Merlin, yes, but there was more to it, and he knew this, even though he hid these feelings, even from himself for most of the time. But Merlin and him pressed flush together, chest to chest, only wearing their smallclothes, arms wrapped around one another… this brought those feelings back to the surface, very sharply and clearly and Arthur was not sure if he liked it.

He let his mind wander, tried to think of his knights who hopefully had found their way safely back to Camelot, safer than Merlin and himself. He tried to think of the speech on his desk that he had yet to finish, and how Merlin would have to help him with the rhetoric once they were back. He thought of the council meeting tomorrow morning that he would probably miss. His father would be furious. But that didn’t matter as much to him as Merlin did, who was safely and finally warm in his arms.

No matter what he tried to think about, his thoughts always somehow ended up with Merlin. At first, it made him cringe a little every time he noticed, but the night went on, Arthur grew more and more tired, and in the end he did no longer fight it. He actually started to appreciate these thoughts a little. They were about Merlin, after all. And it made him happy to think about Merlin, and even happier that he felt Merlin so close to him.

Carefully as not to disturb the younger man, Arthur moved his head and pressed a short kiss to Merlin’s forehead. Feeling his warmth against his lips made him smile. He was reassured now that Merlin would be fine. Tomorrow, they would find their way back to Camelot. His knights would find them. Tomorrow night they would safely back in the castle, Merlin in Gaius’ chambers and he in his own, huge bed that at some nights appeared too large and too empty to him.

Suddenly, Merlin stirred in his arms and moved his head once more.

“Arthur?”

“Hm?”

“Did you just… I don’t know, did you just kiss me?”

“What?!”

“Don’t know.” Merlin shrugged.

“Maybe you were dreaming.” Arthur started sweating despite the cold, and he hoped that Merlin wouldn’t notice.

“Oh. Yeah, maybe.” Merlin lowered his head again and snuggled a little to Arthur. “Pity. Would have been a nice dream,” he mumbled, barely audible.

“Wait, you… wouldn’t mind?” Arthur was grateful for the dark as it hid his probably very dumbstruck expression.

“No, not at all.” Merlin sighed quietly, his voice shy and a little sad. “But well. Sorry to bother you.”

“Uhm, no, you didn’t. Bother me. I mean…” Arthur resisted the urge to loosen his grip around Merlin’s shoulders to run a hand through his hair. He wouldn’t show his nervousness. “Maybe… it wasn’t a dream, after all.”

“Oh, what makes you think so?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because it was me who kissed you?”

“Oh.” Merlin sounded happily surprised about this. “I didn’t really expect this, to be honest.”

“Well, I didn’t expect you to… be fine with it?” Arthur laughed nervously. “But when you are…”

Merlin nodded, Arthur felt him moving against his chest. So he took up all his courage and lowered his head once more, this time covering Merlin’s lips with his own.

Their first kiss was chaste, their lips meeting like a hesitant question. After a few heartbeats, Arthur pulled away once more, waiting for Merlin’s response. He was surprised when the other man followed him only to press his lips onto Arthur’s once again, this time more daring.

First, their lips collided, biting and sucking, greedily taking what was offered to them. Then, Arthur let his tongue sliding along Merlin’s bottom lip, gently asking for entrance that Merlin oh so willingly granted him. They sunk deeper into the kiss, tongues and teeth clashing, hands roaming over their bodies, trying to take hold of one another, to get ever closer.

When they finally broke apart, gasping for air, Merlin laughed breathlessly. “I am glad that you have finally dared to make the first step. I am not sure I would have been able to restrain myself for much longer.”

“I am glad myself.” Arthur rubbed the tip of his nose along Merlin’s cheek. “You have no idea how much I have longed for this. I never want to spend another night without you, I think.”

“Granted we won’t be frozen to death come morning.”

“Well, I guess I can think of something to keep us warm.” Arthur grinned.

Merlin’s only answer was another passionate kiss.


End file.
